Trendsetter Spotlight on The Penelope Times

Vintage style maven and Shop It To Me Trendsetter, Chanelle Laurence, has been blogging since 19 and started her own online vintage shop, Penelope’s Vintage, with tons of on-trend gems. Learn how she builds her stellar outfits, what she spent three years flying back and forth to Asia for (it’s totally awesome), and more!

Shop It To Me: How long have you been blogging, and what inspired you to start?Chanelle Laurence: I’ve actually been blogging ever since I was 19 mostly about my life and galavanting around Hollywood. In 2010 I started my online vintage clothing store, Penelope’s Vintage, and created a blog for that. After a while I was selfish and changed it to a personal style blog because I missed writing about what I like, what I’m wearing what inspires me etc.

SITM: How do you normally build an outfit? Walk us through your process.CL: I take a specific item that I particularly love and build around that. I also build outfits around looks that I’m into at the moment as well, i.e. dark edgy, or elegant and put together. At the very end I add accessories and shoes accordingly (unless they are the specific item I’m into, then I will start with those).

SITM: Okay, spill it. Any favorite online stores?CL: Brandy Melville is a new favorite, I also love Solestruck and TopShop

SITM: What determines when you buy full price items vs. when you buy sale items?CL: Honestly, I love a good deal so most of the time I will try to get something on sale and if not I will try to hunt down an online coupon. I usually pay full price for shoes or clothes that are under $100. I sound cheap but I love the hunt and also working retail and getting a major discount has scarred me.

SITM: We’re all about time-saving here at Shop It To Me. Can you share a time-saving trick that’s part of your daily routine?CL: I wash my face while I shampoo my hair and I wash my body while I let conditioner sit in my hair. It makes me really happy every time because I feel like I’m saving a lot of time, hah!

SITM: Any embarrassing wardrobe malfunctions or a fashion faux pas you want to share?CL: Probably anything I wore from 2004-2007. I tried to find the ugliest most craziest items and put them in one outfit. Some were good some were bad, I liked shock value I suppose.

SITM: Tell us something unique to you — after all, it’s what makes you YOU!CL: I was a back up dancer for an Taiwanese pop star for 3 years of my life, flying back and forth to Asia.